Portable hospital appliance



Jan. 14, 1941. Q PA|N, JR 4 2,228,727

PORTABLE nosn Filed Aug. 15,1938 2 Sheets-Sheeti Jan. 14, 1941.

C. E. PAIN, JR

PORTABLE HOSPITAL APPLIANCE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 15, 1938 Patented Jan. 14, 1941 UNITED STATES PORTABLE HOSPITAL APPLIANCE Charles E. Pain, J r., Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Will Ross, Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application August 15,

2 Claims.

entails contracting the abdominal muscles must' be guarded against.

This invention thus has as one of its objects to provide an apparatus capable of being moved into juxtaposition to a bed with a part thereof forming an overhead horizontal bar to be grasped by the patient so that the patient can use his arms to lift his Weight.

It is also an object of this invention to provide a device of the characterdescribed capable for use as a table support, and also as a support for other instrumentalities, such as a reading lamp.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, this invention resides in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly defined by the appended claims, it being understood that such changes in the precise embodiment of the hereindisclosed invention may be made as come within the scope of the claims.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one complete example of the physical embodiment of the invention constructed in accordance with the best mode so far devised for the practical application of the principles thereof, and in which: 40 Figure 1 is a perspective view illustrating the apparatus of this invention in position for use;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view showing a detail of the structure;

Figure 3 is a perspective view illustrating the use of the invention to support a reading lamp; and

Figure 4 is a detail perspective View of the table support per se.

Referring now particularly to the accompanying drawings in which like numerals indicate like parts, the numeral 5 designates a conventional hospital bed. The support of this invention, designated generally by the numeral 6, is designed to straddle the bed, and comprises a pair of upright supporting members I mounted in bases 8 and 1938, Serial No. 224,989

provided with a horizontal crossbar 9 adjustably fixed in the upp r ends of the vertical supports.

The vertical supports 1 are preferably metal tubes and are rotatably set into sockets l0 in their respective bases to permit the bases to be s rotated without necessitating the rotation of the upright vertical tubular members 'I. This permits the noncircular bases 8 to be turned to positions at which the entire structure may be moved longitudinally of the bed to and from operative in position, and then with the device in position, again turned so that the bases do not obstruct the floor space alongside the bed. Spring pressed detents ll engaging in recesses l2 in the tubular members I serve to hold the bases at definite positions of adjustment.

Portability is provided for the bases through the provision of conventional casters l3.

The horizontal support 9 consists of a U-shaped metal rod, whose ends l4 telescope into the upper end portions of the tubular vertical supports 7. Pins l5 insertable in holes H3 in the vertical end portions M of the U-shaped crossmember and adapted to seat in notches I! in the upper extremities of the tubular members I adjustably 5 hold the support 9 at any desired elevation.

It will be readily apparent that the height at which the cross support is set depends upon the nature of the patients afiliction and is so positioned that the support may be grasped by the patient to permit him to use his arms in lifting his weight, and thus relieve other muscles of the Work incidental to shifting his position in bed.

The crossmember 9 also provides an admirable support for accessories, such as reading lamps, food bottles and the like, and in Figure 3, a reading lamp I8 is shown attached to the crossbar. Mounted in this manner, the lamp is directly above the patients work or reading matter.

Another accessory that can be conveniently 4 carried on the support is a table l9 which is readily detachably supported by the upright vertical supporting members 1 at any desired elevation. For this purpose, detachable connections 26, illustrated in detail in Figur 4, are provided. These connections comprise collars 2i adjustably fixed to the supports 1 by set screws 22 and having diametrically opposed ears 23 projecting therefrom. Sockets 24 fixed to the opposite ends of the table are shaped to embrace the collars 2| and have vertical notches 25 to receive the ears 23 and thus securely hold the table to the supports.

It is to be observed that the pins l5 through their engagement in the notche l1,- and also the interengaging ears and notches of the connections 20 which support the table, serve to hold the vertical supports 1 against rotation so that the bases 8 may be easily adjusted as desired.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that this invention provides a valuable adjunct to hospital and sick room equipment, and that it serves many useful functions and greatly facilitates the work of the nurses besides affording an opportunity for the patient to relieve himself of much of the discomfort andstrain incidental to confinement in bed.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. For use in-conjunction with hospital beds, a movable support adapted to be utilized by a patient on the bed comprising: a pair of portable non-circular bases, each having a socket opening to its upper surface adjacent to one marginal edge portion thereof; a metal tube rotatably received in the socket of each base to be supported thereby in a vertical position, one at each side of the bed; an inverted U-shaped frame having a horizontal crosspiece transversely spanning the bed between the tubes and having its free ends slidably received in said tubes; means for releasably securing the free ends of the U-shaped frame to the tubes so that the crosspiece of the frame is adjustably held at an elevation above the bed such that it may be readily grasped by a patient on the bed, said means holding the tubes against rotation with respect to the frame ends; and a connection between the tubes and the bases for arresting relative rotation between the bases and the tubes when the bases are rotated to positions at the remote sides of the tubes and outside the bed permitting unrestricted movement of the support toward and from the bed in a direction lengthwise of the bed, and for arresting rotation of the bases when the bases are rotated to positions between the tubes and under the bed; the bases directly receiving the weight of a patien during the use of the support when in said las' named position.

2. For use in conjunction with hospital beds, a movable support adapted to be utilized by a patient on the bed, comprising: a pair of portable non-circular bases each having a socket opening to its upper surface'adj acent to one marginal edge portion thereof; a metal tube rotatably received in the socket of each base to be rigidly supported thereby in a vertical position, one at each side of the bed; an inverted U-shaped one-piece metal frame having a horizontal crosspiece transversely spanning the bed between the tubes and having its free ends slidably received in said tubes; means for releasably securing the free ends of the frame to the upper ends. of the tubes so that the crosspiece of the frame is adjustably held at an elevation above the bed such that it may be readily grasped by a patient on the bed, said means holding the tubes against rotation with respectto the frame ends; ,and a detent connection between the tubes and the bases for arresting relative rotation between the bases and the tubes when the bases are rotated to positions at the remote sides of the tubes and outside the bed permitting unrestricted movement of the support toward and from the bed in a direction lengthwise of the bed, and for arresting rotation of the bases when the bases are rotated to positions between the tubes and under the bed; the bases directly receiving the weight of a patient during the use of the support when in said last named position.

CHARLES E. PAIN, JR. 

